Jonathan Sukenik is a Gold level professional Magic player. You can find him on Magic Online under the name Watchwolf92. Jonathan can also be seen crushing souls on the SCG and PT circuits. We cover fun topics like Jonathan’s Magic sportsmanship, his earliest tournament successes, and a step-by-step walkthrough of the members of the Sukenik School of Crushing. We also ruminate on life and other random absurd things. This is the last Humans of Magic episode of the year. Yes, it’s time for a holid...
Nov 26, 2018•1 hr 26 min
Don’t call Andrew Elenbogen an overnight success. Andrew won Pro Tour Guilds of Ravnica through a combination of hard work, sacrifice, and a strong drive to get better at the game. His journey this year was a challenging one, notably marked by personal tragedy. Despite the hardships, Andrew has done a lot of great things for the Magic community in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He also has a lot of strong opinions about things that you wouldn’t expect. Learn about Andrew's story on the latest Humans of Ma...
Nov 19, 2018•1 hr 42 min
“Magic is a game about change…we’ve been spending the last twenty-five years figuring out how to make it even better.” The legendary Mark Rosewater, Head Designer for Magic: The Gathering, joins “Humans of Magic” to discuss the finer nuances of designing for the best game on the planet. Hear Mark talk about why building a Magic set is like building a house, how his process has evolved, and why you should be excited about Magic’s future. Timestamps: 2:55 Introductions 6:00 Mark’s family and Rosew...
Nov 03, 2018•55 min
Kar Yung Tom, a.k.a. KYT, joins "Humans of Magic" for a candid conversation about his competitive roots, fakers on the Internet, and the power of social media. KYT is the founder of manadeprived.com. He produces the amazing First Strike Podcast and serves as the Social Media Coordinator for Face to Face Games. KYT's Twitter: https://twitter.com/kytmagic First Strike podcast: http://magic.facetofacegames.com/podcasts/first-strike/ To support the Humans of Magic podcast go to: https://www.patreon....
Sep 30, 2018•1 hr 34 min
Emma Handy joins the “Humans of Magic” podcast for a no-holds-barred interview. Emma talks openly about being in the public spotlight as a transgender woman, her darkest and brightest moments, key friendships, the Magic grind, and more. Don’t miss this conversation with one of the essential voices in Magic today. WARNING: this podcast contains adult language and topics related to self-harm, suicide, depression, and taking illegal substances. Listener beware. To support the podcast please visit: ...
Aug 13, 2018•1 hr 12 min
Emma Handy joins the “Humans of Magic” podcast for a no-holds-barred interview. Emma talks openly about being in the public spotlight as a transgender woman, her darkest and brightest moments, key friendships, the Magic grind, and more. Don’t miss this conversation with one of the essential voices in Magic today. WARNING: this podcast contains adult language and topics related to self-harm, suicide, depression, and taking illegal substances. Listener beware. To support the podcast please visit: ...
Aug 13, 2018•1 hr 1 min
“Humans of Magic” presents: AJ Kerrigan. What twenty-year old can say that he’s played Magic for literally half his life? AJ broke into the competitive Magic scene as a youngster and has never stopped improving his mental approach with the game. After a rough patch in the public spotlight, he has come out stronger and wiser than ever. Learn about how AJ optimizes performance, surrounds himself with a great group of friends, and plays Magic with purpose. Here is our full conversation, in which we...
Jul 18, 2018•1 hr 28 min
“Humans of Magic” presents: Jon Finkel. Jon is one of the greatest Magic players ever and a member of the Magic Hall of Fame. To use a basketball analogy, he is undeniably the Michael Jordan of Magic. Jon is a Managing Partner at Landscape Capital Management, LLC, a hedge fund that prides itself on investing in non-traditional ways. Here is our full conversation, in which we discuss: - Jon’s first encounters with Magic - Pro Tour memories - Being part of the Ultimate Guard Pro Team - Impressions...
Jun 30, 2018•1 hr 7 min
“Humans of Magic” presents: Ari Lax. Ari is the Pro Tour Khans of Tarkir Champion, member of Team Massdrop, and writer for Starcitygames.com. Here is our full conversation, in which we discuss: - The process of preparing for Pro Tours: before, during, and after - Similarities between preparing for the Pro Tour vs. job interviews - Leveling up as a player - Balance: finding it, or lack thereof - How to have good debates or conversations with people - Advice for new tournament players ...and much,...
Jun 15, 2018•1 hr 15 min
I am pleased to present this conversation with Alix and Jesse Hatfield. The Hatfields have left an indelible mark on the growth and evolution of the Legacy format (previously “Type 1.5”) for well over a decade. They contributed to some of the most influential decks ever built — Enchantress, Threshold, and Cephalid Breakfast, amongst many others. Alix and Jesse also share stories of how the Northern Virginia community fostered, and continue to foster, a culture of innovation and teamwork. Time st...
May 06, 2018•1 hr 44 min
"I love Magic so much, I want it to be presented for what I know that it is -- and that's the best game on the planet." I broke my recording hiatus after REALLY getting into the GAM Podcast, one of the finest competitive Magic podcasts around. Bryan Gottlieb co-hosts the show and is a poker-player-turned-bartender-turned-lawyer. So when the opportunity to interview Bryan came up, I knew that I had to go for it. Here is our full conversation, in which we discuss: - Bryan's childhood - The art of ...
Apr 21, 2018•1 hr 27 min
I am excited to share this conversation with Dan Signorini, a.k.a. Nitewolf9 on MTGTheSource. Dan and David Gearhart created the “Team America” deck, which started off as an elaborate joke and has evolved into the BUG / Grixis Delver decks of today. Chance are, if you have ever played or played against a Delver deck, you have been influenced by Dan’s deck building choices. Dan is a long-standing member of the North Virginia Legacy community, which includes players such as Alix Hatfield, Jesse Ha...
Dec 24, 2017•1 hr 50 min
Jarvis Yu is back. He was my first guest on the show, and I am excited to have him back. In this two-part series, I sit down with Jarvis for an in-depth conversation. Part 1 is Jarvis’ year in review. Jarvis opens up about his accomplishments, goals, and insights for the coming year. He is also brutally honest about where he needs to improve in order to reach the next level. As Jarvis plays on the Pro Tour and is a regular on Team Massdrop East, you may find his observations helpful to your own ...
Nov 25, 2017•22 min
Jarvis Yu is back. He was my first guest on the show, and I am excited to have him back. In this two-part series, I sit down with Jarvis for an in-depth conversation. Part 1 (THIS EPISODE) is Jarvis’ year in review. Jarvis opens up about his accomplishments, goals, and insights for the coming year. He is also brutally honest about where he needs to improve in order to reach the next level. As Jarvis plays on the Pro Tour and is a regular on Team Massdrop East, you may find his observations helpf...
Nov 25, 2017•1 hr 3 min
Martin Juza is a “Magic: The Gathering” Hall of Famer, Platinum Pro, and self-proclaimed “Professional Tourist.” His list of achievements is nothing short of astounding: 3 Pro Tour Top 8s, 26 Grand Prix Top 8s (including 4 wins), and over 500 lifetime Pro Points. Martin is also widely considered to be one of the best Limited players of all time. What do we talk about? • Martin’s childhood in the Czech Republic • Martin’s first Magic experiences and how he leveled up as a player • How Martin over...
Nov 25, 2017•45 min
This week, I want to share a conversation that I had with 21-year old wunderkind Noah Walker. Noah is a Magic player, competitor, basketball enthusiast, and...camp counselor?!? In fact, the conversation started off quite slowly. Noah was not quite sure what to make of some stranger asking him questions over Skype. But once we started talking about his passion for helping kids, and how he is giving back to the same summer camp that he has attended since he was eight years old... EVERYTHING CHANGE...
Sep 20, 2017•1 hr 17 min
Tifa Robles wears many hats. She is the founder of the Lady Planeswalker Society, a gamer, and a mother. We first talk about her day job in gaming and how she brings the passion to gamers on a national level. Tifa also shares her principles for building inclusive gaming cultures, and the trials and tribulations of starting LPS. Last but not least, Tifa shares what it is REALLY like to be a mother — and how it has given her greater happiness and joy.
Aug 02, 2017•1 hr 2 min
Will Jonathan is a sports psychologist. mental performance coach, and Channel Fireball contributor. In this conversation, Will gives me advice on how to improve my mental game. According to him, it is all about focusing on process instead of results. And guess what -- it worked! Right after talking to Will, I Top 4’d a big Magic tournament during the same week! How’s that for some practical advice?
Jul 12, 2017•2 hr 3 min
"Humans of Magic" interviews Christian Calcano, esteemed Gold Level Pro and Pro Tour Amonkhet Top 8 finalist. We go into Christian's backstory and how he feels about the game today. Please share this podcast with your friends! We have a lot of great content planned for this year -- subscribe now to make sure you don't miss any episodes.
Jun 30, 2017•2 hr 15 min
We are back with the first 2017 episode of “Humans of Magic”! Our first guest of the year is Kai Sawatari. Kai is half-German, half-Japanese, all amazing. He’s a serious Legacy player with 4th and 17th place finishes at Grand Prix events. This podcast was hilarious. We talk about: - How Kai’s father would let him win at games! - Getting destroyed by a Goblin Charbelcher deck when he was 12 years old! - Irrational confidence! - Bromance! - Japanese culture and the crazy smiley guy! - The biggest ...
Feb 03, 2017•2 hr 14 min
I am pleased to have Wilson Hunter on “Humans of Magic.” Wilson is a co-host of the amazing “The Brainstorm Show” podcast, a father, and an intense competitor. Or to use his words — ultra-competitive! We talk about parenthood, the origins of his competitive drive, and growing up with Magic friends that inspire each other to perform better everyday. Wilson also self-reflects on taking losses hard, working with the community to improve his game, and the guilt that he feels in having a hobby like M...
Nov 21, 2016•1 hr 28 min
Roland Chang is the only player to have won both the “Magic: The Gathering” Vintage and Legacy format World Championships. He is a mainstay on the East Coast Eternal Magic scene. What you may not know about Roland, however, is that he was close to leaving the game for good. A seriously unfortunate event almost led him down that path, but the power of the community brought him back. Like all of us, he has had his share of adversity and comebacks. In this 1:1 interview, Roland opens up about his c...
Nov 13, 2016•1 hr 20 min
“And then I decided that’s how I want to conduct myself…and it’s worked out very well for me.” Matt Pavlic is one of my best friends. He also happens to be the person that led me down the path of competitive Magic. I’ve had almost a decade of amazing gaming memories, in no small part due to Matt’s influence. I could not be where I am today were it not for his steady friendship and support. Most notably, Matt’s matured a ton over the years as a person. In this conversation, he talks about growing...
Nov 06, 2016•1 hr 14 min
“The negative stuff just kind of hits you a little bit harder.” Gerry Thompson is a consummate pro and all-around good guy. His Magic accomplishments are plentiful. But there is another side to Gerry that he recently opened up about, in a groundbreaking Reddit post: “A Rebuttal: The Lifestyle of the Professional Magic The Gathering Player.” It’s a hard-hitting look at what it means to be a Magic pro. More importantly, Gerry opened up about this lifelong struggle with depression. It’s a great pie...
Oct 29, 2016•1 hr 38 min
“Everybody’s on their own journey, on their own spiritual path.” If you follow Magic, chances are you’ve heard of Bob Huang. Bob is the 2015 Legacy Champion and one of the game’s top Eternal format players. He’s put several popular Delver variants on the map and has had a major impact on how the game is played. But what you might not know about Bob is his world view and perspective on life. In this talk, we discuss some of the recent things he’s gone through, the trip of a lifetime that opened h...
Oct 15, 2016•1 hr 9 min
This week, we interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for a different kind of interview. I appear on the Power Nine Magic podcast starring Mikail Lo to spread the word about a book I wrote called "Magic: The Addiction." That's right -- I wrote a book about Magic. It's about my personal experiences, but it's also a little bit more than that. I hope that you'll give the book a chance, because I poured my heart and soul into it. It took me down into many dark places, but there is redemption ...
Sep 25, 2016•31 min
“When I get a challenge, I really just want to be the best at what I do.” Michael Bonde is a fixture in the Danish Magic scene, and one of the game’s most outgoing personalities. He created Magic history by becoming the first European player to win a Star City Games Open. He has also enjoyed two Top 4 finishes in Grand Prix events, along with a 17th place finish at Pro Tour Madrid. Through skillful play and collaboration with the game’s top talent, Michael has become a powerful force to be recko...
Sep 16, 2016•1 hr 31 min
“The most important lesson I’ve learned is letting that which truly does not matter, go.” Damon Whitby, also known as “Parcher” on The Source, is one of the elder statesman of the Legacy format. He’s been advancing the format for over a decade. These days he can usually be found terrorizing opponents with his Dredge deck, although he has played a wide range of archetypes over the years. This episode is filled with Damon’s experiences and musings on life. Never one to hold back, he talks about hi...
Sep 10, 2016•2 hr 20 min
“There’s really no reason to not be direct about what you want, or what you’re going for.” Alex Majlaton is a pretty darn good Magic player, with 26 Pro Tour appearances and 8 Grand Prix Top 8’s. He is doing solid work as the mathematical mind behind Team East-West Bowl. But more importantly, he’s humble about his status as a player and incredibly passionate about giving back to the community. Alex and I talk about his early childhood days, forays into competitive Magic, learning from experience...
Sep 03, 2016•1 hr 14 min
What does it mean to be the best at Magic? What’s the real life cost of getting too involved in the game? As content creators, why do we do the things that we do? My audio interview with Jonathan Alexander, creator of the Grinding Station deck, concludes with Part 3. “Humans of Magic” has been slower to release as of late, due to my real-life commitments. Nonetheless, I intend to continue interviewing cool people. Please keep listening and let me know what you think. Check out Jonathan’s web sit...
Aug 23, 2016•59 min
